Protecting sensitive skin

The skin on a baby’s bottom is very sensitive and you want to be careful about what you use to clean it. Disposable wipes that you buy in the store tend to be filled with fragrances and preservatives that are harsh on the skin and contribute to irritation and rashes.

Even the “natural” brands still have a significant amount of preservatives in them (understandably so since a wet wipe does not have a very long shelf life and can easily grow bacteria or mold).

When you make wipes at home you can use healing oils that protect and heal the diaper area. You can also eliminate the need for chemical preservatives by making small batches.

Babies are so sensitive in the first three months, especially to fragrances, chemicals and even natural essential oils so it is best to keep it simple. After a poopy diaper, rinse the cloth under warm water and wipe. Remember that urine is sterile, so there is no need to wipe a baby after a wet diaper. Just let them air dry a bit before putting on a fresh diaper. When my babies reached 3 months of age, I began making my homemade healing wipes solution for a more thorough cleaning.

Save money

Using cloth wipes can save you a ton of money. I made my own cloth wipes using organic flannel that I bought at the fabric store. Simply cut the cloth into squares and hem the edges. You can also purchase ready-made cloth wipes.

When my kids were first born, I actually just used a wet cloth wipe to clean their bottoms.

Aloe Vera:

Aloe vera is soothing, cooling and healing to the skin. It provides relief from itchy skin and rashes. It is also a nice anti-fungal which is helpful for the prevention and treatment of diaper rash. Make sure to get a liquid aloe vera for this recipe, rather than a gel (the gel is just the liquid aloe with a thickening agent added to it).

Witch Hazel Extract:

Witch Hazel Extract is soothing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and provides a nice preservative quality to the formula

Apricot Kernal Oil:

Apricot oil is a great moisturizer for sensitive skin.

Lavender or Tea Tree Essential Oil:

These oils are cleansing, antibacterial and are also natural preservatives. Lavender is specific for soothing red, irritated or inflamed skin. Tea tree is anti-fungal and can provide healing to skin that is prone to diaper rash. You can choose either oil, or use a combination of the two.

Store the solution in a spray bottle. It is nice to have a larger size for home use and a small travel size for the diaper bag. Simply spray the solution directly onto the bottom or onto the wipe and wipe baby clean.

Mix all ingredients together in a spray bottle and shake well before each use. Spray the solution directly onto the bottom or onto the wipe and wipe baby clean. The solution will keep in the spray bottle for 2-3 weeks. Yields 8 fl. oz of solution.

Faith Rodgers is a certified herbalist. She studied herbalism and nutrition and the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism in Boulder, CO. She is a mother of 3. She writes a blog about caring for your family naturally with herbal remedies, aromatherapy and homemade body care products. To learn more, visit her at thelittleherbal.com

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Comments

Thank you for this great information. Here's a tip to make it less labor intensive or scary for the mom without time or a machine to sew: I made piles of flannel wipes that have been in use for years using only pinking shears. I am a good sewer but didn't want the heavy edges that sewing would leave so I just pinked. They launder beautifully and I've never had a fraying problem.

Thanks for posting wonderful post. i think Ecoloical diaper can be used as safe source to protect children from rashes. Most of parents only think that diaper is only to protect house clothes from getting wet תפרחת חיתולים

Maybe fractionated coconut oil, but I think that if you used traditional coconut oil it would just kind of be chunky at the top. We do have a recipe on the site for cloth wipe bits that uses coconut oil, check out this post: http://homegrownandhealthy.com/lavender-chamomile-cloth-wipe-bits/

I know this is an older post but for others who are wondering as well - We use coconut oil sometimes and never have issues. As long as you are giving the bottle a little shake before using - the coconut oil mixes right in. Another alternative would be olive oil. It's cheaper than coconut oil but just as effective.

I disagree about not wiping urine off of the skin. I'm a nurse aide and have seen raw skin from sitting in wet briefs/attends/diapers (whatever you want to call them), because not only of being wet for too long, but the PH balance of urine doesn't mesh well with skin. Leaving urine on the skin, mainly for girls, can lead to UTI's as well. To me, it's just a better idea to at least to a quick wipe down of at least a water soaked rag to counteract the urine. At least, as a nurse aide, that is what we've been taught.
Maybe there's something about urine I *don't* know that is more friendly to the skin that I haven't been taught about, but to not wipe skin free of urine sounds like skin break down waiting to happen.
Just my opinion based on what I was taught in 2004 and I'm still working as a nurse aide (state tested, not simply 'certified'). But the very fact so many products out on the market have tooooooo many chemicals in them (shampoos, soaps, butt wipes, even lotions) was why I came to Pinterest and ultimately your page. So, really, thanks for the recipe & article. :) Very useful to all in this day and age of chemicals.

Agreed with Kris. Urine is technically sterile, yes, but it is also generally acidic and can definitely burn/break down skin. (I'm a nurse.) I've drip-dried in a pinch, but I'd always prefer to wipe myself, so I'll wipe my baby, too. :)That being said, off to make some of this wipe solution. It's just what I was looking for, thanks!!

When my big daughter was baby the wipes I used were store-bough and the irritated skin and the rashes were common. The moment I found your recipe, I kept it and now as I have my second baby girl I use only these baby wipes for cleaning her bottom and everything's just fine! I've made tons of flannel cloths and regularly mix the magic solution. Thank you for your idea and for sharing it! Greets!

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